Friday, July 31, 2015

The final red-band trailer and seven clips have been released for the comedy "Vacation" which opens today in theaters. Unfortunately, the film doesn't live up to the hype, according to the critics. The film lacks the charm and wit that made the original 1980s films so good, replacing smart humor with not-so-funny crude humor that tries too hard to get a laugh.

Five new clips have been released for "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation". The fifth entry in the action franchise opens today in theaters and critics are raving about it. Some reviewers go as far as to call it the best in the series. The film is directed by Christopher McQuarrie ("Jack Reacher") and it stars Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, Jingchu Zhang and Alec Baldwin.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer and three posters for "The 33". Directed by Patricia Riggen ("Girl in Progress"), the film is based on the true story of the 2010 disaster which involved 33 miners who were trapped in a Chilean mine for 69 days. The cast includes Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bob Gunton, and Gabriel Byrne.

The first trailer and poster for the drama "Room" have been released. Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, the film tells its story through the eyes of five-year-old Jack (Jacob Tremblay), who lives with his mother (Brie Larson) in the confines of a 10-by-10 foot room. His entire world is turned upside down when their captivity ends and he discovers a whole new world he never knew existed. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson ("Frank"), the film also stars Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers, Megan Park and William H. Macy.

"Room" will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before opening in the U.S. on October 16th.

The Netflix series "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" will premiere on July 31st, so here are the official trailers, images, featurette and poster for the show. The series is a prequel to the 2001 film of the same name and features a huge cast that includes the original's actors Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander,Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Marguerite Moreau, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter. They will be joined by newcomers Michaela Watkins, Josh Charles, John Slattery, Randall Park, Lake Bell, Jayma Mays, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel, Richard Schiff, Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig.

The first trailers (green-band and red-band) for Michael Bay's new film "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" have been released online. The film is based on the true story of the security team that fought to defend the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya during a major attack in 2012 which resulted in the death of an American ambassador and another embassy official. The script was written by "The Strain" author Chuck Hogan and it is based on the non-fiction book by Michtell Zuckoff. The cast includes John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, Max Martini, Pablo Schreiber, and David Denman.

"13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" opens in theaters on January 15, 2016.

The first red-band trailer and poster for the Christmas comedy "The Night Before" (formerly titled "X-Mas") have been released. Co-written and directed by Jonathan Levine ("50/50"), the film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie as three childhood friends who have celebrated each Christmas Eve together with festive cheer, and by that I mean R-rated debauchery. Now they are entering adulthood, so they decide to honor the tradition one last time by attempting to find the Nutcracka Ball, also known as the Holy Grail of Christmas parties. The film also stars Lizzy Caplan, Michael Shannon, Heléne Yorke, and Mindy Kaling.

A batch of 31 new images from "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" have been released online, featuring both stills from the movie itself and lots of behind-the-scenes photos. While Tom Cruise is the movie's lead, the focus of the images shifts towards series newcomer Rebecca Ferguson who plays Ilsa, an agent who can kick just as much ass as Cruise's Ethan Hunt.

The sequel to the 2014 hit comedy "Neighbors" is moving forward. Universal previously announced that Nicholas Stoller will return to helm the follow-up with Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron ready to reprise their roles. Now we have even more news. The studio revealed that the sequel will be titled "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising". Also, Chloe Grace Moretz ("Kick-Ass") has been cast in an unknown role that will probably have something to do with the titular Sorority. Moretz herself confirmed the casting via Twitter by saying "it's the girls' time to take over".

Stoller, Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Jay Cohen and Brendan O'Brien will be handling the sequel's script. Universal also announced that "Neighbors 2" will be released in theaters on Friday, May 20th, 2016.

Today we have the official trailer and three posters for the DJ drama "We Are Your Friends". I suppose in the rise-to-fame genre landscape, the EDM world hasn't really gotten that much attention. That's all going to be fixed by this movie. Zac Efron stars as an aspiring DJ who struggles to make it in the electronic music scene. Co-written and directed by Max Joseph, the film also stars Wes Bentley, Emily Ratajkowski, Jonny Weston, Shiloh Fernandez, and Jon Bernthal.

The first behind-the-scenes featurette for the fact-based mountain climbing drama "Everest" has been released. The film is directed by Baltasar Kormakur ("2 Guns") from a script by Mark Medoff ("Children of a Lesser God") and Simon Beaufoy ("127 Hours"), and it documents the journey of two different Everest expeditions that become trapped on the mountain by one of the fiercest snowstorms in history.

The featurette offers a quick look at the making of this spectacular-looking movie and a particular highlight is the fact that it was all filmed on location in Nepal on real mountains which should keep the CGI to a minimum. Of course, I don't expect every stunt in the movie to be executed in real conditions, because obviously the movie will feature some uniquely dangerous situations, so I assume there will be plenty of visual effects in the finished film. Anyway, it will definitely look gorgeous in IMAX.

A new set of images from "X-Men: Apocalypse" have been released and they offer a first look at the young cast of actors playing Storm, Jean Grey, Jubilee and Nightcrawler. There are also some hi-res versions of photos which feature franchise veterans. In addition, director Bryan Singer has released some new set photos via Instagram. The film stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, Lucas Till, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Olivia Munn, Ben Hardy, Lana Condor, Sophie Turner and Alexandra Shipp.

I guess when your movie grosses $1.5 billion worldwide, a sequel becomes inevitable. Such is the case for Universal and their huge hit "Jurassic World". The studio announced that their dino reboot will indeed get a sequel which will open in theaters on June 22, 2018. It was also revealed that Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will reprise their roles. While it is unknown if "Jurassic World" director Colin Trevorrow will return at the helm, it has been confirmed that he will help write the script with co-writer Derek Connolly. Trevorrow will also produce the sequel alongside Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg. Here is the official press release:

"Executive producer Steven Spielberg and stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return for Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s JURASSIC WORLD SEQUEL, a follow-up to one of the biggest blockbusters in the history of cinema. Producer Frank Marshall once again joins Spielberg in leading the team of filmmakers for the next chapter in the franchise. The film will be written by Jurassic World’s director, Colin Trevorrow, and Derek Connolly. Spielberg will be joined by Trevorrow as executive producer.".

The first teaser trailer and poster for the second season of the TV series "Gotham" have been released. The show is a prequel to the Batman universe and it details the origin stories of several of the comics' villains while focusing on Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as the series' protagonist. The cast also includes Morena Baccarin, Donal Logue, Robin Lord Taylor, Sean Pertwee, Camren Bicondova, David Mazouz, Erin Richards, and Cory Michael Smith. The new season will add James Frain as Theo Galavan, and Jessica Lucas as his sister Tabitha aka Tigress.

A new trailer and poster have been released for "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2", the final chapter in The Hunger Games franchise. The battle for the fate of Panem has begun and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) embarks on a dangerous mission to assassinate President Snow (Donald Sutherland) who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her.

This post contains all the news, trailers, movie clips, DVD/Blu-Ray releases and many more, that you may have missed in the last seven days, arranged in an accessible manner. Just browse and click the article titles you want to read. Read the full article to check out the weekly summary.

Video Game Description: The official video game of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship, F1 2015 is set to take gamers closer to the real-world experience of racing in the world’s most glamorous, exciting and prestigious motorsport thanks to a brand new version of Codemasters’ proprietary EGO game engine. In addition to spectacular visual fidelity, F1 2015 offers a significant step forward in the physics-based handling model of the game, which is designed to be inclusive for both seasoned players and those new to the series. The handling model offers enhancements and additions in over 20 areas, including engine and transmission, aerodynamics, fuel tank, force feedback, suspension and most notably a brand new tire physics model, to recreate the breathtaking handling characteristics of the world’s fastest and most responsive racing cars.

Details, available editions, system requirements and more after the jump.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Video Game Description: Zombie Army Trilogy is a terrifyingly intense third person shooter set in a gruesome alternative vision of World War II. Berlin 1945. Facing defeat at the hands of the Allies, Hitler has unleashed one last unholy gamble - a legion of undead super soldiers that threatens to overwhelm the whole of Europe. Fight alone or team up to save humanity from the zombie menace in this apocalyptic shooter for 1-4 players!

Details, available editions, system requirements and more after the jump.

Friday, July 24, 2015

This week in theaters we have the sci-fi comedy "Pixels" which rounded up some pretty bad reviews and joined a long line of films starring Adam Sandler to receive a good thrashing from critics. Then there's the teen romantic drama "Paper Towns" which is based on a novel by John Green. And if you're looking for something a little grittier, there is the boxing drama "Southpaw" starring Jake Gyllenhaal in one of his best roles. For horror fans, the exorcism flick "The Vatican Tapes" begins a limited run in theaters. More about each movie after the jump.

Synopses, details, critical reception, trailers, clips and more after the jump.

Three new clips have been released for the horror film "The Vatican Tapes" which begins a limited run in theaters today. Directed by Mark Neveldine ("Crank"), the film stars Michael Peña as a priest fighting to save a 27-year-old woman from an ancient satanic force that has possessed her. Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott, Kathleen Robertson, Peter Andersson, Olivia Dudley, Michael Paré and Cas Anvar also star.

Eight new clips and three featurettes for Antoine Fuqua's boxing drama "Southpaw" have been released. The film opens today in theaters and has been getting mostly mixed reviews. Critics have taken issue with the genre cliches that Fuqua apparently hasn't managed to keep away from, but Jake Gyllenhaal has been universally praised for his committed performance.

"Paper Towns", the new adaptation of a novel written by John Green, the author of "The Fault in Our Stars", opens today in theaters and we have a new trailer, five clips and four featurettes to help you decide if you want to go see this movie.

Directed by Jake Schreier ("Robot & Frank"), the film stars Nat Wolff as a young man who shares an all-night adventure through town with his enigmatic neighbor Margo (Cara Delevingne), who loves mysteries. When Margo disappears, Quentin embarks on a quest that leads him and his friends on an exhilarating adventure.

The critical reception has been generally mixed but despite some complaints about platitudes and a routine coming-of-age story, many reviewers actually enjoyed the movie and considered it well-acted and thoughtfully crafted.

Chris Columbus' sci-fi comedy "Pixels" opens today in theaters, so here are a new trailer, three clips and six behind-the-scenes featurettes. Adam Sandler, Josh Gad, Kevin James and Peter Dinklage star as a group of 1980s video game champions who become Earth's only hope against alien invaders transformed into classic arcade games which they have misinterpreted as a declaration of war.

Like most Sandler movies this one has also been taking a beating from critics. Although filled with fancy visual effects, the film falls flat in other departments. Most reviewers have taken issue with the lack of witty jokes and the abundance of cliches which add up to a terrible waste of a perfectly good premise.

The film also stars Michelle Monaghan, Jane Krakowski, Ashley Benson, and Brian Cox.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Six new character posters for Wes Ball's sequel "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" have been released. The next chapter in the "Maze Runner" saga finds Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and the Gladers trying to make sense of a post-apocalyptic landscape known as the Scorch where they must discover the truth about a mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. The film also stars Kaya Scodelario, Ki Hong Lee, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aidan Gillen, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosa Salazar, Lili Taylor, Barry Pepper, Jenny Gabrielle and Patricia Clarkson.

Film 4 has released three trailers and four posters for the historical drama "Suffragette". Written by Abi Morgan ("Shame") and directed by Sarah Gavron ("Brick Lane") the film focuses on the struggles of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State. The cast includes Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, and Meryl Streep.

Today we have some new set videos and photos for "X-Men: Apocalypse". Some of the videos and photos have been released via director Bryan Singer's Instagram account, but there's also one clip from Olivia Munn which shows her practicing some fight moves for her character Psylocke. The more interesting pictures, however, come from Entertainment Weekly and they offer the first solid look at the characters, especially Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) in full makeup. The film also stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, Lucas Till, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Ben Hardy, Lana Condor, Sophie Turner and Alexandra Shipp.

The first trailer and posters for Pixar's new movie "The Good Dinosaur" have been released. The story takes place in a world in which dinosaurs still roam the Earth and it focuses on an Apatosaurus named Arlo that becomes friends with a human boy. The film features the voices of Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn, A.J. Buckley, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott, Frances McDormand, Marcus Scribner and Jack Bright.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The official full-length trailer for the new James Bond movie "Spectre" is finally here. The trailer offers a healthy dose of action and story, and we also have some new photos featuring the Bond girls played by Naomie Harris, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux and Stephanie Sigman. An extended synopsis was also released, which you can read after the jump. Directed by Sam Mendes ("Skyfall"), the film also stars Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ben Whishaw, Dave Bautista, Rory Kinnear, and Andrew Scott.

Today we have a trailer, images, featurette and two posters for the horror film "The Vatican Tapes". The film is yet another installment in the exorcism genre and it stars Michael Peña as a priest fighting to save a 27-year-old woman from an ancient satanic force that has possessed her. Directed by Mark Neveldine ("Crank") the film also stars Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott, Kathleen Robertson, Peter Andersson, Olivia Dudley and Cas Anvar.

Today we have two trailers and three posters for the crime drama "Legend". Written and directed by Brian Helgeland (writer of "L.A. Confidential" and "Mystic River") the film stars Tom Hardy in a dual role as real-life twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray, London's most notorious gangsters in the 1960s. The film also stars Emily Browning, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald, and Taron Egerton.

The first teaser trailer and images for the upcoming "The X-Files" revival series have been released. The six-episode limited series will bring back David Duchovny as Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Scully as they once again embark on a dark journey into the unknown. Other X-Files veterans that will reprise their roles are Mitch Pileggi as Skinner and William B. Davis as the Smoking Mann.

They will be joined by Annet Mehendru, Joel McHale, Annabeth Gish and Nicholas Lea. The plot is unknown at this time, but the show's creator Chris Carter talked a bit about the political context of the series and how it's going to be a brand new story:

"The X-Files ended right after 9/11 ... A lot has happened since then. A lot of rollback of rights and liberties in the name of our protection. We’re being spied on now, we’re being lied to — all things that, for me, remind me of when I grew up, which was right around Watergate. I think we’re in similar and much more dire times right now. We’re not going to reboot any of the old favorites, although it was something we all thought about…These are all brand new stories. We hope to scare you in brand new ways."

"The X-Files" revival series will premiere on Sunday, January 24th, 2016, followed by the second episode on January 25th.